Sunday, 23 September 2012

Passion for Fashion

Money Supermarket are running a 'Passion For Fashion' competition for bloggers, to win one of five £200 prizes or the top prize of £1000 and an iPad3. All you have to do to enter is come up with five outfits from online fashion retailers to create five Autumn/Winter looks. You can find more details and how to enter here, but hurry up because the competition closing date is September 24th! This is quite a long post, but I hope you enjoy the outfits I've chosen. Clicking the images should, in theory, link you through to my Polyvore collage for each outfit, should you wish to see those..

This outfit teams a nice heavy dress with pretty lace detailing, with a feminine blazer and silk scarf, offset with lovely chunky shoe-boots from my new favourite online shoe store, Chockers. The shoes are reduced and the bag, being from TKMaxx, is automatically a bargain! This outfit comes in nearly £25 under budget, which on reflection should maybe be used to buy an umbrella! The layers would keep you warm on the commute to work, whilst also allowing you to remove some clothing if the office heating gets a bit much. I'm aware the shoes are wildly impractical for Autumn/Winter but hey, what girl doesn't love a pair of impractical shoes every now and again!?

For me, a first date outfit should be something you feel comfortable and confident in; something that shows you at your best whilst still being "you". In other words, I've always worn jeans on first dates - it's so much less stressful when you don't have to worry about your skirt blowing up/getting tucked into your knickers/some other excruciatingly humiliating occurrence. With that in mind, I've chosen a pretty top to complement a pair of flattering but comfy dark skinny jeans, accessorised with this cute angel wings ring and a co-ordinating clutch to carry the essentials. Finally, just in case your date isn't forthcoming with his jacket, it's always best to take your own for when it gets chilly, along with some woolly mittens in Winter. I'm saving my pennies here by shopping at places that offer student discount, which would knock £10.40 off this outfit's price for anyone with an NUS Extra card!

Having grown up on a farm, I'm all about the great outdoors and I'm a firm believer that being comfortable and practical is more important than looking good - there are times it can save your life and it's simply not worth it! That said, it's totally possible to look good whilst being a little bit sensible, and a good pair of wellies are a must. These Fairisle-print beauties are perfect for Winter and their furry lining will help you stay in touch with your toes. Boyfriend jeans mean you can move freely, essential when walking or climbing trees! Matalan is one of my favourite shops for on-trend pieces at super-affordable prices, and a long-sleeved t-shirt under a cosy jumper makes layering easy and helps keep your core temperature up. A showerproof jacket is a must in England, as this summer has demonstrated; Ski jackets tend to come in a range of pretty colours and have the added bonus of being warm as well as waterproof. Plenty of pockets means phone, purse and camera can easily be carried without having to lug around a bag, so a good warm hat is the perfect finishing touch.

This studded black dress is classy and understated, perfect for a night out with the girls. Even better, it's half price from River Island - super bargain! Suspender tights are sexy without being trashy and make the look a little more interesting. Chunky shoes mean you're a little less likely to end up head over heels on the floor, in my experience! These Topshop beauts are a little pricey but complement the dress perfectly, and still come well within budget. A black dress means bright accessories and make-up are allowed, so this Illamasqua nail polish is perfect. A little shoulder bag is perfect to pop your phone, purse and make-up in and means you don't have to worry about it whilst dancing. I'm all about clashing the prints, so this cobalt blue snake print number is perfect to contrast with the dress's Aztec detailing.

One of the best things about Autumn/Winter, in my opinion, is big thick woolly tights - perfect for keeping your legs warm and, if you're feeling brave, available in a range of colours to brighten up even the greyest days. Matalan tights are always great quality at great prices, and these orange zig-zag tights are super versatile, great to wear with skirts, dresses or shorts. H&M are fantastic for great value basics like this on-trend swallow-print skirt, which can be dressed up or down and is super comfy for a long day at Uni or lunch out with a friend. Offset with a simple but pretty top, ideal for layering, this look is casual but still presentable. I love Cambridge Satchels for their classic, timeless look; this is perfect for carrying round your everyday essentials, be it a laptop for uni or your Kindle, purse and diary for a lunch date. A jacket brings this outfit almost up to budget, but I feel the investment of the Satchel makes it worth it.

So, there you have my five outfits! Which is your favourite? Have you entered the Passion for Fashion competition? Please feel free to leave your links below, I'd love to check them out!

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